"If you tear it down they will come!"
Have you ever noticed the number of walls that seem to be around ourselves and others? Lately I have seen them in abundance and variety: high, tall, strong, and most nearly impenetrable! But the one thing that walls have in common is that they are (for the most part) perceived - assumed - presumed - and quite often not even intentional. I have watched as walls build up around people, namely women, so much so that the women eventually begin to blend in with the walls. aka the Wallpaper, the Woodwork, just seem to disappear, etc. Or maybe there are walls that you are projecting onto people and you can't seem to scale it in order to approach them. Is it their clothes, their hair, their relationship status??? What is it exactly that makes us uncomfortable around others????
One word...WALLS
Picture of lady praying at the Wailing Wall from The World Race.
An organization to stop the s** trade in Thailand and around the world.
Imagine that challenge to love those women...one who would hit on your man to make a dollar.
Could YOU love HER? Yes, that is a WALL.
Ways Around Living & Loving Sacrifically
My heart has been breaking when I see women who keep to themselves out of fear from stepping out from behind their wall or beyond the perceived walls of others. I guess we can all give off that "air" from time to time but here is a crucial difference, an "us vs them", a "have and have not" scenario - when you know Christ, if you know Christ - HIS love should reach beyond all walls real or perceived. We should follow His example.
He is the only demolition expert when it comes to relational walls. He is the only one able to tear down every brick and mortar, hay, mud, etc wall on the face of this earth in order that His love may be freely given and received. He was there when Jericho's walls came crumbling down! He was there when the veil was torn! He was - correction HE IS HERE! Here to remove all our walls, our pain, our dirt, our hurt, and all that we desire to cover up, protect, and secure....HE unveiled His presence to us to live in us and share HIS love through us.
The next time you see someone trying desperately not to be noticed in your church, in your city, in your school - WELCOME THEM. The next time you see someone blending in with the wall paper MAKE EYE CONTACT. The next time you see _________________________ (anyone) SHARE HIS LOVE.
This is just my conviction but perhaps when you, who read this, see me trying to be the woodwork, just might give me a smile or a hug. Just maybe we will all reach out and UNVEIL HIS LOVE.
Abiding Still,
3 comments:
Chel, this post is very true. I've been on both sides of the wall, and it feels so much better to have the walls down.
Good to see you here again. :)
Great post. If only more women would feel free to be themselves - whether or not someone else chooses to accept them; I think more of us would find truly authentic relationships.
I, like you and Debbie, have also been on both sides of those walls. There are certain walls that create boundaries that are good, but these walls inside as you describe, only serve to separate, divide, and isolate. When will the Church learn this?
As you well know, this has been a very hard lesson for me over the last several years. I can't thank God enough for the freedom I now feel because He has torn down my self-imposed walls!
Great post, Chel!
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